Circular



(No Model.) I A. WOOD.

CIRCULAR GRAVITY RAILWAY.

No'. 291,261.v '7 Patented Jan. 1, 1384.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALANSON W001), or TOLEDO, 01110, nssrcnoa or ONE-HALF TO JAMES 'A. 'conoon, or SAME PLACE.

CIRCULAR GRAVITY-RAILWAY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 291,261, dated January Application filed August 8', 1883. (No model.)

To all whom may concern Be it known that I. ALANsoN WOOD, of Toledo, in the county of Lucas and State of Ohio, have invented new. and useful Improvements in OircularGravity Railways; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and

' exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, which form a part of this specification.

IO The nature of this invention relates to certain' new and useful improvements in the conupon a lower plane than the startingpoint,

and connected therewith by another rising grade, and in connection with said railway the necessary platform and ticket-stand, all as more fully hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing, wherein a plan view is given of my circular railway, there is shown a circular track, built upon trestles of varying heights,so that said track from A to B,

which represents a distance of thirty-two feet, is upon a level plane.with a platform, 0, upon the same level, provided with steps D to lead from the ground thereto, and with a ticketstand, E, for the sale and collection of tickets. I .At B is the starting-point of the downgrade,

and from that point to F, a distance of fortyeight feet, there is a decline of six feet. From- F to G, a distance of one hundred and sixty seven feet, the decline is but two feet.' From G to H, the distance being sixty-four feet, there is a decline of eight feet. From H to I,being a distance of fifty-three feet, there is a decline of two feet. From I to J, being seventy-two feet, there is arise of nine feet. FromJ to K, a distance of twenty-two feet, is a level plane whereon the cars, originally starting from B, stop, their'motion from B to Ibeing constantly accelerated to give them velocity to overcome the rise of nine feet between I and J. The cars stop on this twenty-two-feet level, and the passengers leave the same, and step on the platform L and pass up the incline pathway M to the platform 0, leaving the platform by the steps D, or are ready to take the cars for another trip. From K to A there is a rise in the grade of nine feet, which brings us to the first thirty-two=feet level and the startingpoint.

I do not desire to claim any specific way of building the trestle-work upon which this track shall rest, nor the style of cars to be run upon it. This specification describes a track in a circle of one hundred and fifty feet diameter, and from careful experiments I find that the level and grades given insure rapid speed in the transit, and a certain stoppage at 6 5 the point designed, from which, after the cars are emptied of passengers, they are pushed up the incline to reach the starting-level.

This road is designed to afford amusement in parks, gardens, and other public places, and under ordinary circumstances the tour from the starting-point to the level where the passengers leave the cars is made in about ten seconds.

I am aware that circular railways, in them- 7 5 selves,are not new; but I am not aware of any railway of the character, wherein the cars are operated by gravity, in which the track is continuous and provided with the necessary grades for running and stopping the cars, and

for placing them in position for another journey.

Vhat I claim as my invention is- 1. A circular railway,with a continuous circular track provided with a rapid decline at the starting-point, for part of its way, and with a gradual decline for another part of the way, and then with a steep decline for another, so arranged that a car traveling on said track will acquire a great velocity to carry it up a rise in the track to a level, where it will stop, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. In combination with a circular track provided with the grades herein described, the platforms 0 L, inclined way M, stairs D, and 5 ticket-station, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

Witnesses: ALANSON \VOOD.

E. ScULLY, H. S. SPRAGUE. 

